1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the BIOS (Basic Input Output System). More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to multitasking BIOS initialization tasks.
2. Related Art
A BIOS (Basic Input Output System) uses a Central Processing Unit (CPU) to perform tasks such initialization tasks, diagnostics, loading the operating system kernel from mass storage, and routine input/output functions. The number of initialization tasks can be 100 or greater. In general, the BIOS is single tasking in that if a wait period is needed by one of the currently executing initialization task, the processing power of the CPU is not utilized during the waiting condition by another initialization task. The wait period may arise because the BIOS interfaces with many hardware components. The BIOS needs the wait period due to several reasons. For example, the BIOS waits to receive a response from the hardware component or waits for the hardware component to complete some action requested by the BIOS.